I wouldn't worry too much. They only changed the name from Demon's to Dark because of rights issues.

Not to mention, based on what I've seen around the internet Dark Souls actually picked up some decent recognition that extended far beyond what Demon's Souls ever knew. I can't blame them for sticking a name that people know.

"An eternal battle rages at the heart of Dark Souls II. On one side stands the stern force of challenge, the very soul of the Souls series. It has inspired thousands of fans to hack their way through two of the most demanding and rewarding games of an era, fans who expect at least the same test on the next go around. On the other side is the bright promise of accessibility. And why not? Why shouldn't FromSoftware and Namco Bandai open Souls up to a wider audience when it could otherwise be in danger of becoming stuck in a cult cul-de-sac?

There are many, after all, who have been put off by the series' habit of obscuring its best assets from all but the most committed. Entire systems, such as Dark Souls' covenants and Demon's Souls' World Tendency, remain mysteries to even reasonably experienced players – wouldn't it be a service to the games to help everyone understand them better? On the other hand, isn't the very nature of the Souls series about obfuscation and what it makes you work for? Aren't its greatest pleasures about the slow crawl of discovery in a world that refuses easy interpretation? What would the series lose if it was made more explicit?

As we find out in issue 249, the answers to these questions are in the hands of game directors new to the Souls series, Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura, who have taken the reins from Hidetaka Miyazaki. Their descriptions of how they intend to mould Dark Souls II into a more approachable form seem reasonable. But Shibuya admits that their approach will be influenced by their individual characters. "I personally am the sort of person who likes to be more direct than subtle," he tells us. "[Dark Souls II] will be more straightforward and more understandable." We sympathise if that sort of statement concerns you, but at the same time, we can surely agree that we would all like to see Dark Souls attain as great a presence as The Elder Scrolls. How it gets there is a worthy matter for debate, but it's certainly a noble task."

As long as they keep all the complexity and consistency of the systems and world design, making them more accessible is absolutely something I can get behind. Some of the mystery is part of the charm, though, so I hope it doesn't just become Skyrim with Dark Souls combat.

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"IT IS SUBTRACTION. I WILL COME TO YOUR SCHOOL AND BEAT YOUR STUDENTS." - John

As long as they keep all the complexity and consistency of the systems and world design, making them more accessible is absolutely something I can get behind. Some of the mystery is part of the charm, though, so I hope it doesn't just become Skyrim with Dark Souls combat.

Skyrim with Dark Souls combat would have made Skyrim a million times better, but I see what you're saying. I don't think it will become that way at all. They don't seem to have any intention of making Dark Souls an open-world do-whatever-you-want type of game ala Skyrim.

I was more referring to the step in accessibility and the very heavy streamlining we saw from TES3 to TES5, which made it more popular with a mainstream audience. I'm always happy to hear a game getting a bigger audience, I just don't want them to sacrifice the SOUL of the series.

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"IT IS SUBTRACTION. I WILL COME TO YOUR SCHOOL AND BEAT YOUR STUDENTS." - John

Admittedly some of the stuff that was streamlined in Skyrim kind of sucked at least in Oblivion (the class system sounds great on paper, but in practice it really is better to just treat them equally and have the player play as they want and let things happen naturally), but this really isn't the case with Dark Souls... aside from the Covenant system. If there's one area where beat-over-the-head obvious would be a GOOD THING it'd be finding and getting into them, as it'll help make multiplayer better.

Yeah, I can't argue too much with that-- although I do think wish there was a little more consequence as a result of your character development choices in Skyrim. I'd also like to see them bring actual statistics back as opposed to to just skills.

But yeah, I think explaining covenants better would be soooooolid. But hey, they've already said there will be dedicated servers, so that's a step in the right direction so far.

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"IT IS SUBTRACTION. I WILL COME TO YOUR SCHOOL AND BEAT YOUR STUDENTS." - John

Totally agree with Stephen. Spelling out the mechanics of the game would go a long way towards accessibility. I mean, I had to look at a Wiki to figure out why poise was so important in Dark Souls. They could certainly spell things out a bit more. That said, I hope they don't lose out on the ambiguity with the story and lore. I'm really excited to hear that this is, apparently, a brand new world. As much as I loved learning about Lordran, the mystery made it even more appealing and terrifying. Let's hope they don't lose that with DSII.

Awesome news! I can't believe to this day I still haven't finished Dark Souls. I got sidetracked so many times by so many games, the end of last year and the beginning of this there's been so many good RPGs I played a bit of Dark Souls then jumped to another game. When I finally sat down to play it my cousin decided he wanted back the game he lent me, so I bought myself the game at a great deal and what happens ? I play a little more and I have a problem with my PS3...

I swear, when I get my hands on DS2 I won't stop playing it until it's done.

Another big thing I'm looking for with DSII is some more balance. They managed to fix a lot with later patches, but there's still some stuff in Dark Souls that drives me up a wall:

-The Capra DemonHonestly, I still can't believe this boss fight is in the game. It's basically a game of chance as to whether or not you can survive the first attack once you enter the arena. I usually die one or two times on this fight on each playthrough and then manage to take it out no problem.

-Four KingsThis fight is just dumb on New Game+. There are a few strategies, but most require a specific type of build. Wearing a ton of armor and praying that you absorb all of the damage turns everything into a game of luck. Thankfully, lots of people use this area to farm, so you can easily get help.

-Orstein and SmoughYeah, no.

-Lord GywnThey nerfed this fight big time with the first big patch, but it's still nuts without any help. He never leaves an opening, though it's easy if you figured out the finnicky counter attacks.

Other things they should work on:-Continue to work on the camera and lock-on. Can't stand it when I lose the lock and turn my back suddenly for an attack.-Dedicated servers for the love of God!-Love the shortcuts and bonfire system, and it needs to stay in to cut down on some of the repetition and frustration from dying.

Another big thing I'm looking for with DSII is some more balance. They managed to fix a lot with later patches, but there's still some stuff in Dark Souls that drives me up a wall:

-The Capra DemonHonestly, I still can't believe this boss fight is in the game. It's basically a game of chance as to whether or not you can survive the first attack once you enter the arena. I usually die one or two times on this fight on each playthrough and then manage to take it out no problem.

-Four KingsThis fight is just dumb on New Game+. There are a few strategies, but most require a specific type of build. Wearing a ton of armor and praying that you absorb all of the damage turns everything into a game of luck. Thankfully, lots of people use this area to farm, so you can easily get help.

-Orstein and SmoughYeah, no.

-Lord GywnThey nerfed this fight big time with the first big patch, but it's still nuts without any help. He never leaves an opening, though it's easy if you figured out the finnicky counter attacks.

Other things they should work on:-Continue to work on the camera and lock-on. Can't stand it when I lose the lock and turn my back suddenly for an attack.-Dedicated servers for the love of God!-Love the shortcuts and bonfire system, and it needs to stay in to cut down on some of the repetition and frustration from dying.

We're gonna disagree here. I think the Capra Demon's difficulty is grossly overrated. Of the three times I've fought him, I've been hit maybe twice (at all). Dodging the first attack is basically a matter of "RUN IN, DIVE FORWARD, GO UP STAIRS." It's honestly not failed me yet.

Four Kings is pretty tough, but I personally don't think it's a balance issue. It's a hard fight, period.

Orstein and Smough were really difficult, but once you develop a strategy, it's really not nearly as bad as it could be.

Gwyn is nuts, yeah.

I've never had problems with the lock on, but I do think the camera and the lock could be tighter.

Dedicated servers has already been confirmed for DS2 :)

Shortcuts and bonfire system are such a central part of why the game is so cohesive, they'd have to be insane to take them out. I do think the bonfire teleporting should be available earlier in the game, though.

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"IT IS SUBTRACTION. I WILL COME TO YOUR SCHOOL AND BEAT YOUR STUDENTS." - John

Dude, every time I fight the Capra Demon is an excuse to drop the f-bomb. I try your strategy and it fails me a few times before it works. It's like that first dog on the left hits me every time I roll and ends up getting me killed.

Four Kings isn't bad on the first playthrough, but they are broken as all hell on NG+. There's very little strategy, either, as you have to pour on the damage before too many of the damn things spawn.

I'll second that. The strategy to rush past the dogs is nothing if not dumb luck. If the AI gets particularly clever it'll wall you in you can die in a few seconds.

That said...The easiest way to deal with the Capra Demon is to rush down to the Gravelord Covenant using the shortcut of falling off the edge. Get the Gravelord Sword from the Covenant. That kills Capra in 3 or so hits.

On topic: I'm a bit wary of having a new director. I know the old one is overseeing the project, but it still worries me. Of course, having the fresh blood in it might do wonders as well.

-The Capra DemonHonestly, I still can't believe this boss fight is in the game. It's basically a game of chance as to whether or not you can survive the first attack once you enter the arena. I usually die one or two times on this fight on each playthrough and then manage to take it out no problem.